Polling in the Kannur Assembly constituency got off to a brisk start with large number of voters queuing up at polling booths in the early hours amidst heavy security arrangements.

Heavy polling was reported in nearly all the booths in the constituency. An estimated 20 per cent of 1,33,000 electors in the constituency have cast their votes in the first two hours of polling. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel deployed at the booths were seen to be in control of the security measures in the booths. No untoward incidents have been reported so far.

Among early voters were Union Minister of State for Railways E. Ahamed, K. Sudhakaran, MP, United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate A.P. Abdullakutty and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate K. Ranjith.

The UDF leadership here, which had alleged largescale manipulation in the electoral rolls, expressed satisfaction about the fool-proof security arrangements in all the 119 polling booths and 10 auxiliary booths in the constituency.

Mr. Abdullakutty said that it was exciting to see large number of voters reaching the polling booths to vote. “We expect high percentage of polling here,” he said adding that the heavy polling in the early

hours was an indication that the people had come out to oppose ‘fake voters.’

Left Democratic Front candidate M.V. Jayarajan, who did not have a vote in the constituency, said that the presence of the Central force would in no way affect the prospects of the LDF in the election.

“People's verdict is something that you cannot buy even if the American military is deployed in the constituency,” he said. He also alleged attempts of UDF workers to intimidate voters in some areas in

the constituency. Mr. Jayarajan said that the attack on some LDF workers at Mukkadavu ward in the Kannurcity area was an indication of the UDF plan to bring in “quotation teams” (paid criminals) and create troubles on the polling day.